Laparoscopic surgery (laparoscopy) is becoming a preferred method for performing various types of surgical operations. However, unlike other types of surgical procedure, s, laparoscopic surgery does not require large incisions to expose the internal organs. Instead, an insufflation needle, typically a Veress needle, is inserted into the abdominal cavity, and an insufflation gas such as CO.sub.2 used to inflate the cavity. Once safely inflated a trocar is inserted through the original puncture site. On removal of the trocar knife a laparascope may be inserted through the cannula left insitu, allowing visualization of the interior of the abdomen and safe insertion under direct visualization of further trocars/cannulas as needed. Access for surgical instruments is now available through these extra cannulas. In order to prevent escape of pressurized gas from the body cavity, instrument supporting devices have been proposed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,137,520; 5,176,648; 5,211,370 and 5,215,531.
Several problems are associated with the sheath, cannula or other similar devices. Such problems include limited access to the organ or organs being worked on, limits on the number of instruments and variety of instruments which can be used during a given procedure, lack of access of the surgeon's hand or hands to the body cavity, limited visibility, lack of protection of the incisions from diseased tissues, organs or cells during removal of the diseased tissues, organs or cells. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for solutions to the above problems.